Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiplayer gaming and more particularly to resource consumption in multiplayer gaming.
Description of the Related Art
A multiplayer video game is one which multiple players can concurrently play a game within the same gaming environment. While single player games which have dominated computer gaming pit a single player against one or more automated opponents engaging in pre-programmatic behavior, multiplayer games pit different individuals against one another, each being limited to dynamic, on the fly behavior limited by the power of human thinking. Multi-player games also often provide a game environment in which different players engage in allied competition against other players whether human or computer automated. In the latter instance, cooperative multiplayer gaming environments reflect a 21st century version of the role playing board games of the 20th century.
Technologically, multiplayer gaming environments can be supported within a single gaming console, or in a distributed fashion over a computer communications network. In fact, some relatively recent multiplayer gaming environments are supported by geographically remote players communicatively connected to one another over the Internet through gaming consoles, personal computers, smart phone, personal digital assistants, or any combination thereof. However, in all instances, the virtual world in which the multiple players interact must remain consistent for all players.
In massively multi-player games, network communications bandwidth can be of real concern—particularly as a game scales in participation to thousands of simultaneous players per server. Yet, at any given time, not all players in a massively multi-player game participate in a game activity that requires the same rate of data transmission over the Internet due to varying sensitivity of a game moment experienced by each of their respective characters. Rather, players engaged in a highly sensitive game moment of a massively multi-player game may require increased resource consumption such as higher network bandwidth, whilst players engaged in a low sensitivity game moment may require only a minimum of resource consumption.
In this regard, highly sensitive game moments of a massively multi-player game include when an “enemy” or “opposing player” becomes virtually proximate in virtual portion of a virtual world requiring an action on behalf of the player. Another highly sensitive game moment can include when different players coordinate with one another in a group activity such as a “a group raid” which involves excellent timing and coordination. As yet another example of a highly sensitive game moment, a character of a player may enter a virtual portion of a virtual world rife with traps or active elements able to endanger the character. In contrast, a low sensitivity moment may include a character merely casually moving about in a virtual portion of a virtual world lacking a density of traps or active elements.